Unity is Ubuntu's default interface since Ubuntu 11.04. Its main components are the panel (at the top of the screen), the launcher (on the left), and the dash (revealed by clicking the Ubuntu button or tapping the Super or Windows key).
74
votes
14answers
33k views
Unity doesn't load, no Launcher, no Dash appears
When I login, nothing happens.
I am presented with my desktop wallpaper.
No Dash, no Launcher, nothing.
93
votes
10answers
55k views
How do I reset my Unity configuration?
I've been messing around with Unity and broke something, how do I "start over"?
217
votes
11answers
340k views
How can I configure Unity?
Are there any configuration options for the Unity desktop?
There are multiple valid answers for this question spanning over several versions of Ubuntu. For your convenience an index of each below ...
138
votes
2answers
171k views
Can I move the Unity launcher?
I can’t get used to the new Unity system. I’d like to move the left Unity panel to the bottom of screen (like Windows 7 – more similar is better).
But I can't find a way. Is it possible?
277
votes
11answers
246k views
What are Unity's keyboard and mouse shortcuts?
In Unity, are there any pre-defined shortcuts, e.g. to open the dash or unhide the launcher?
56
votes
2answers
15k views
What are some of the issues with ccsm and why would I want to avoid it?
I've seen some people complaining about how unstable Compiz Config Settings Manager ("ccsm") is and how it can break people's desktops if they're not careful.
What are some of the known problems of ...
172
votes
14answers
130k views
How can I edit/create new launcher items in Unity by hand?
Will Unity allow making custom launcher icons from .desktop files or via menu editing system? (Right now the launcher doesn't give the option to "keep in launcher" on all programs.
For some programs ...
84
votes
6answers
49k views
How can I configure Unity's launcher auto-hide behavior?
This has been an issue for me with Unity since its release.
I'd like to make the the launcher auto-hide. Especially on Netbooks, where screens are small, the launcher is quite wide, making it ...
113
votes
4answers
27k views
How do I modify or disable the HUD's use of the Alt key?
A number of games, Emacs, and the terminal make extensive use of the Alt key. Can Unity be configured to respect this key, rather than launching the HUD with it?
69
votes
8answers
37k views
Am I using Unity or Unity 2D?
Unity and Unity 2D look very much alike, so how can new users easily find out whether they are running Unity or Unity 2D?
20
votes
6answers
22k views
How do I configure the launcher to “dodge windows”?
I don't like to be auto hide and stay there for never because it is annoying to me. I only like it when it is dodge windows to hide the launcher. Please help me fix it in Ubuntu 12.04 or above.
17
votes
6answers
15k views
Dash search gives no result
I just upgraded my Ubuntu 11.10 (x86) to Ubuntu 12.04 (x86). The upgrade completed without any errors.
Since then, I am unable to access any of the applications in the Dash. The Dash seems to be ...
30
votes
5answers
64k views
How do I change the default session for when using auto-logins?
When autologon is active, lightdm will start the Unity 3D session, not the 2D (or any other shell that I want to auto-login to).
Is there a way to start the shell I want automatically (autologon)?
...
101
votes
3answers
29k views
What's the right terminology for Unity's UI elements?
I've sent a few mails to the Ayatana mailing list regarding some UI suggestions for Unity, but I'm afraid I keep confusing the right terms for the UI element, so I would like to have some ...
48
votes
7answers
69k views
How can you remove Unity?
In previous versions of Netbook Remix I was able to disable the netbook-launcher and just have a blank desktop. I liked the speed of the Netbook version but not the interface, this worked well for ...
24
votes
2answers
9k views
How do I change to a theme not listed in the Appearance screen?
I just upgraded to 11.10 for better or worse.
When I launch "Appearance" I see only Ambiance/Radiance themes available
In /usr/share/themes and ~/.themes there are other themes that aren't listed, ...
135
votes
36answers
90k views
What lenses for Unity are available?
This question is present as a matter of historical interest. While you are encouraged to help maintain its answers, please understand that "big list" questions are not generally allowed on ...
82
votes
7answers
29k views
How do I disable the global application menu?
I'm fairly excited for Unity, as it looks like a promising new direction for Ubuntu. However, I do have a concern - will it be possible to use Unity without the global menu?
I have my window manager ...
68
votes
9answers
34k views
How can I reduce or increase the number of workspaces in Unity?
I was reading about how to get multiple workspaces in the mutter version of Unity, however since Compiz is replacing Mutter how do I go about adding and removing workspaces in Compiz version of Unity?
...
89
votes
14answers
52k views
How to pin Eclipse to the Unity launcher?
How can I pin eclipse indigo 3.7 I have 'installed' at /opt/ to the taskbar?
I have tried launching eclipse and right-clicking to choose the 'keep in launcher' option. But when I click that icon, ...
46
votes
3answers
10k views
Can auto-hide for the application menu be turned off in Unity?
Will there be a way to disable auto-hide behavior of global application menu in Unity. While I would prefer to have this behavior disabled by default (as it is bad UX), it looks like it's here to ...
24
votes
17answers
22k views
How do I remove the Unity launcher?
How can we remove the launcher that come with Unity on this new Ubuntu version ?
19
votes
8answers
8k views
How do I disable the chameleon effect in notifications and the Unity launcher?
Is there a way to stop the new unity feature that changes the colour of the launcher and notifications that matches them to the wallpaper?
Its an interesting feature, but I would rather not have a ...
50
votes
5answers
13k views
How do I build Unity from source?
I'd like to know how I would build Unity from source code in the current development release. Please cover the following topics:
Which packages are needed to compile Unity?
Where would I get the ...
8
votes
3answers
21k views
How do I remove the propretary ATI drivers?
I've installed 11.10 and the proprietary ATI drivers using "additional drivers" The performance of my system is absolutely awful and it shouldn't be. I tried to remove the proprietary drivers using ...
88
votes
9answers
63k views
How can I keep recent files from appearing in Unity?
I sometimes browse erotic media files but I would like to avoid having them appear in files & folders / recent. How can I do that?
The old "making .recently-used.xbel a folder" trick from 10.10 ...
11
votes
2answers
21k views
How to correctly enable Desktop Cube in Unity 3D?
I have read several questions regarding how to fix an already enabled desktop cube or the problems it had in 11.04. But in 11.10, how can I correctly enable desktop cube in Unity 3D?
34
votes
6answers
14k views
How do I add and remove the Workspace Switcher launcher from the Unity launcher?
How can I remove the Workspace Switcher launcher from the Unity dock?
19
votes
3answers
15k views
How do I know if my video card can run Unity?
I have an old laptop which has some 3D graphics support, how do I know if this will be enough for Unity to run?
15
votes
3answers
10k views
Performance being really choppy with ATI drivers
I just updated to the latest version (11.04) yesterday, and ever since then, the system has been really choppy.
I used to have 10.10 installed, and that was running smooth.
Anyone also experiencing ...
30
votes
7answers
7k views
How can I change the Unity launcher delay?
I find the sidebar to appear and disappear terribly slow. How can I change the delay?
17
votes
8answers
7k views
Can I edit which icons appear in the Unity dash?
When I open the dash in 11.04, I get two rows of icons. The first row contains 'lenses' that take me to lists of applicaitons/files; the second row opens specific applications - Browse the Web, View ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
How do I make Unity remember which applications are in the launcher?
When i log out and then log in again, the applications shown in Unity launcher are the default applications, neither can i add an application nor can i hide a default application. How to make Unity ...
62
votes
4answers
33k views
How do I revert Alt-tab behavior to switch between windows on the current workspace?
Enabling Bias alt-tab sorting to prefer windows on the current viewport as described here made no difference. How can I get back the exact same behavior as 11.04, so that alt-tab only switches between ...
44
votes
5answers
21k views
How do I put a web application on the Launcher?
Sometimes I see pictures of screenshots with people with web applications and nice icons on their launcher, how can I set this up?
83
votes
10answers
39k views
What can replace system monitoring in the top Gnome Panel in Unity?
I'm used to have System monitoring in the top Gnome Panel: CPU, Temperature, Net, Fan-Speed. (see screenshot below)
In Unity, the Top Panel is locked for window name and global menu, so I can't add ...
40
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I make a Theme from scratch for Unity?
I'd like to make a theme from scratch for Unity.
What knowledge and information/skills are needed? Are there any tools or templates out there for something like this already? I don't have any Python ...
27
votes
2answers
17k views
How do I use the GNOME Panel in Unity?
I really need to use the GNOME Applets, is there a way to do it?
8
votes
4answers
3k views
Menu missing in Lotus notes 8 and Eclipse in Unity
I installed lotus notes 8.5.2 on 10.10 netbook using unity desktop. At first lotus notes showed its menu. Suddenly (not sure if I did something) the menu disappeared. When I start up using gnome ...
2
votes
4answers
9k views
How can I activate Unity?
I previously had ubuntu 10.10 installed and upgraded to 11.04. However, desktop is same 10.10 (gnome) as despite the upgrade. How can I disable the Gnome and activate Unity instead?
19
votes
8answers
33k views
Nvidia driver activated but currently not in use
I have just finished an install of ubuntu 11.04 beta 2. At the end of the installation I got a message informing that I do not have the required hardware for unity, and that I should choose "ubuntu ...
107
votes
11answers
25k views
How do I disable mouse magnet on middle edge with multi monitors?
I use Ubuntu 12.04 on a two screen setup. Multiscreen on 12.04 has generally become much better, but there is one thing that really gets on my nerves: there's a mouse magnet of sorts on the middle ...
51
votes
2answers
13k views
How do I install the Ask Ubuntu Unity Lens, and how do I use it?
I heard about the Ask Ubuntu Unity Lens over in the chat, and I was wondering how to install it. What are the step-by-step instructions to get it installed, activated and once that's done, how do I ...
22
votes
4answers
6k views
Restore the Ctrl + Alt + Num Pad 4 and 6 window positioning commands?
Using Unity in Ubuntu 12.04, the Ctrl + Alt + Num Pad combination for positioning windows no longer works completely consistently:
Ctrl + Alt + 4 (move window to left half of screen) was changed to ...
16
votes
6answers
3k views
Is there any tweak to bring back emblems in Nautilus?
I read the following dev email Removing 'Backgrounds and Emblems' and when i read this part:
Note that this does not completely remove the ability for extensions
(e.g. Dropbox) to add emblems ...
8
votes
0answers
6k views
Unity 3D doesn't work anymore, just shows a menu on the top [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Unity doesn't load, no Launcher, no Dash appears
I no longer have Unity 3D in Ubuntu 11.10. After I reinstalled Unity 3D, my desktop looks like this:
Any ...
19
votes
5answers
2k views
How do I start developing a lens for Unity?
I would like to know how to create one of those lenses for unity. I know how to program. but I don't know where to start. Are there certain libraries I should use or docs that I should read? Are there ...
17
votes
3answers
23k views
Geforce Go 7300/7400 blacklisted, can I still run Unity?
Unity won't run on my new Ubuntu 11.04 install (with a Nvidia GeForce GO 7400). Ubuntu classic desktop works though, I tried all different drivers provided in the repositories. Doing ...
19
votes
1answer
3k views
119
votes
10answers
34k views
How to change tooltip background color in Unity?
In a lot of applications the tooltips are just plain ugly (White text on black background, way too much contrast) or even unreadable (black or dark blue text (Hyperlinks) on black background). I want ...
